Osmanabad administration extends help to third gender

The Osmanabad Zilla Parishad officials had organized a special event to spread awareness among the transgenders regarding the rights as entitled through a recent Supreme Court judgment.

| TNN | Apr 23, 2014, 04.17 AM IST

AURANGABAD: The Osmanabad Zilla Parishad officials had organized a special event to spread awareness among the transgenders regarding the rights as entitled through a recent Supreme Court judgment.

The Supreme Court created the "third gender" status for hijras or transgenders, who were earlier forced to write male or female against their gender. The SC asked the Centre to treat transgenders as socially and economically backward and give them educational and employment reservation as OBCs.

ZP chief executive officer Suman Rawat said, "The third gender community was made aware of the entitlements guaranteed through this SC judgment. The community was also made aware of their health issues and the rights they are entitled to as the citizens."

She said that the 24 transgenders from Osmanabad and Tuljapur, who attended the event, were introduced to various contact persons and officials in district who would resolve their basic problems addressed and resolved.

The event was inaugurated in the presence of principal district judge S P Tawade, district collector Prashant Narnaware, superintendent of police Sachin Patil and Rawat.

Addressing the community, Patil said that the very first thing is that the community has received an identity. "Another point is that the community now will get the benefit from all the government schemes, hence ration card, aadhar card and other important documents can be availed by them," Patil said.

Speaking to Times Of India, Patil said that the third gender will be able to complete their education through reservations as they have been included in the Economically Backward Classes category and can get jobs. This will help them achieve social status.

He further said that medical check-up camps and other documentation work was being done since the last one-and-half years with the help of the district collectorate. The decision of the SC has only given momentum for their work.

Datta Pagudwale said that everyone in the community has welcomed the move and has been preparing to get admitted in local schools to complete education. "The people in the community sing and dance to earn a living out of compulsion and not by choice. We wish to be accepted as normal human beings in the society. The community needs to be respected, accepted as they are," Pagudwale added.

"The decision of SC means that we no longer have to beg for our daily meals. As we are entitled to various government schemes, we would receive monetary aid under government policies," said Nitin Bansode.

Bansode said that benefits under housing schemes and jobs through education would help them lead a respectable life.

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